He was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers after playing three seasons of college football for the Stanford Cardinal.

[2] A native of the San Fernando Valley, Fua attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California.

As junior in 2004, Fua did not give up a quarterback sack and helped Crespi win the CIF Southern Section Division X championship.

Competing in the heavyweight division, where he constantly had to keep his weight below the 275-pound (125 kg) maximum, Fua won a CIF State Wrestling Championship as a senior in 2006.

He beat fellow Polynesian Romney Fuga of Huntington Beach Edison High School, who himself became a nose tackle at Brigham Young.

[14] Fua was signed by the Denver Broncos on November 27, 2013 following an injury that led to starting defensive tackle, Kevin Vickerson, to be placed on injured reserve.

[15] Fua was signed by the Cleveland Browns on October 14, 2014, following a season-ending ACL injury to defensive end Armonty Bryant.

Since August 2012, Sione Fua is married to Ivy (née Avanessian) of North Hills, who currently is a graduate of University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry and a practicing pediatric dentist.